By Claire Simmonds, ABC
The tiny community of Megan, north east of Dorrigo on the New South Wales Mid North Coast, has been hit hard by the loss of one of their own to floodwaters from ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred.
Shocked neighbours describe lifelong resident 61-year-old Tom Cook as a "larrikin" who knew well the dangers of an engorged Wild Cattle Creek.
Cook drove his Nissan Navarra ute onto the flooded Wild Cattle Creek Bridge at 2.20pm on Friday, when his vehicle was swept off the bridge.
Local Tom Cook drove his ute onto the flooded Wild Cattle Creek Bridge on Friday. Photo: ABC News / Claire Simmonds
He was able to get out and hold onto a tree branch, as witnesses on a nearby hill called emergency services.
His body was recovered on Saturday by his neighbour and friend Greg Wilson.
He had known Tom for 30 years, and was talking to him as he clung to the tree, before he fell to his death.
"We actually managed to be able to talk to Tom for roughly half hour or better, but unfortunately there was absolutely nothing we could do," Wilson said.
"The waters were absolutely just high and we weren't equipped for that sort of rescue at the time."
Greg Wilson had the agonising task of recovering his friend's body. Photo: ABC News
Greg Wilson stand outdoors on his verandah as he talks about watching a man being swept away in floodwaters in northern nsw
Greg Wilson had the agonising task of recovering his friend's body. (ABC News)
Awaiting the arrival of a NSW State Emergency Service (SES) specialist swiftwater rescue crew on the banks of the swollen creek were Wilson, a Dorrigo police officer, ambulance crew and SES squad.
"Unfortunately, Tom had to let go because he was tired and he could no longer hold on," Wilson said.
"So, I watched Tom float away and we ran around to another section of the river and that's when we noticed that Tom went under - there was nothing we could do."
'Not sure why Tom entered the water'
Police search operations were hampered by the flooded creek itself, blocked access roads to the Dorrigo Plateau - from fallen trees or landslips - and the poor weather conditions for aerial searches.
On Saturday morning, Wilson said local officers attempted a ground search, but waters were still too high to find Cook.
When conditions eased in the afternoon, Wilson and his son began their own search.
"We located Tom about 300 metres downstream and so we immediately contacted our local police and we retrieved Tom's body from the creek," Wilson said.
Ambulance crews assisted in the retrieval.
"I'm just so pleased we was able to find him. Very sad."
Wilson said the ordeal had been difficult for the entire community and he struggled to describe what it was like to stand there and not be able to save him.
"I have my moments, like, I'm having one now. It's very hard, but we'll see through this," he said.
"We're very grateful that no-one else drowned. I'm not sure why Tom entered the water, it was a very dangerous and foolish thing to do."
Ken Gardner says the community was shocked. Photo: ABC News / Claire Simmonds
Father and son, Ken and Jim Gardner, spoke about the man and the family they had known for the two decades they had lived nearby.
"People are shocked, totally shocked, because he's in and out of Dorrigo everyday, people know Tom," Ken Gardner said.
"Everyone knew Tom. Everyone liked Tom."
Cook was living alone at the time of his death.
"Probably 18 months ago, Tom lost his lady partner and he hasn't been Tom since then, I don't think," he said.
Jim Gardner added: "That was the sad part, but he's always been a pleasant guy and what a shock to see what happened.
"Tom was definitely a larrikin.
"He was a hard-beaten bloke, he'd had a few tragedies in his life, but he was a very social guy and you'd always find him at local occasions."
- ABC
